Market assessors believe the Shane van Gisbergen, Jamie Whincup arm wrestle will spill over into the 2017 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.
Betting agency Ubet has shot out of the blocks by posting the first full market for next season which sees new champ van Gisbergen and six-times title winner Whincup joint favourites at $2.75.
The Triple Eight pair are pronounced favourites ahead of the next best, Scott McLaughlin at $6.50.
On the move from GRM, McLaughlin is being kept safe by bookmakers on the second line of betting as the third year of the American-Australian owned DJR Team Penske is expected to see more consistent top five results.
It is a significant assessment for the popular young ex-Volvo driver who was rated a $15 chance going into the recently completed season.
McLaughlin’s DJR Team Penske partner Fabian Coulthard is the only other driver rated in early market assessments under $10, after being rated an $8 chance.
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Like McLaughlin, Coulthard goes into 2017 rated his shortest ever opening quote after also being rated a $15 chance going into this year.
Mark Winterbottom is rated a $12 chance to bounce back and repeat his title-winning form for Prodrive from 2015.
Winterbottom’s team-mate Chaz Mostert is rated a similar price along with Team Vortex racer Craig Lowndes.
There is a significant gap to the next rated driver, Walkinshaw’s James Courtney who is a $34 chance.
Courtney’s former Holden Racing Team partner Garth Tander is being kept at $101 ahead of an announcement of where he will land next year.
Nissan’s prized signing Simona de Silvestro is rated at $501 ahead of her eagerly awaited maiden full season Supercars plunge.
See below for full 2017 Virgin Australia Supercars market:
$2.75 Jamie Whincup (Holden), Shane van Gisbergen (Holden)
$6.50 Scott McLaughlin (Ford)
$8 Fabian Coulthard (Ford)
$12 Mark Winterbottom (Ford), Chaz Mostert (Ford), Craig Lowndes (Holden)
$34 James Courtney (Holden)
$61 Cameron Waters (Ford)
$61 Will Davison (Holden)
$81 Tim Slade (Holden)
$101 Garth Tander (TBA)
$101 Scott Pye (Holden), Rick Kelly (Nissan), Michael Caruso (Nissan)
$151 David Reynolds (Holden), Jason Bright (Ford)
$251 Nick Percat (Holden), $251 James Moffat (TBA), Todd Kelly (Nissan), Lee Holdsworth (Holden)
$501 Simona de Silvestro (Nissan)
$1001 Dale Wood (Holden), Tim Blanchard (Holden)
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